Drive mechanisms suitable for use in drug delivery devices

Abstract

A drive mechanism suitable for use in drug delivery devices is disclosed. The drive mechanism may be used with injector-type drug delivery devices, such as those permitting a user to set the delivery dose. The drive mechanism may include a housing, a dose dial sleeve, and a drive sleeve. A clutch is configured to permit rotation of the drive sleeve and the dose dial sleeve with respect to the housing when the dose dial sleeve and drive sleeve are coupled through the clutch. Conversely, when the dose dial sleeve and drive sleeve are in a de-coupled state, rotation of the dose dial sleeve with respect to the housing is permitted and rotation of the drive sleeve with respect to the housing is prevented. In the de-coupled state, axial movement of the drive sleeve transfers force in a longitudinal direction for actuation of a drug delivery device.

1 . A drive mechanism for use in a drug delivery device comprising: 
 a housing having an internal helical thread;    a dose dial sleeve having a helical thread engaged with the helical thread of the housing;    a drive sleeve releasably connected to the dose dial sleeve;    and a clutch means located between the dose dial sleeve and the drive sleeve;    the clutch means configured such that,    a) when the dose dial sleeve and the drive sleeve are coupled, both are allowed to rotate with respect to the housing; and    b) when the dose dial sleeve and the drive sleeve are de-coupled, rotation of the dose dial sleeve with respect to the housing is allowed, while rotation of the drive sleeve with respect to the housing is prevented, whereby axial movement of the drive sleeve is allowed so that a force is transferred in the longitudinal direction to a proximal end of the drug delivery device.    
   
   
       2 . A drive mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising a piston rod adapted to operate through the housing and transfer the force in the longitudinal direction to the proximal end of the drug delivery device.  
   
   
       3 . The drive mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein said dose dial sleeve further comprises a helical thread, which has the same lead as the lead of the helical thread of the drive sleeve.  
   
   
       4 . The drive mechanism according to  claim 2 , wherein the piston rod is designed to have attached a toothed gear designed to mesh with the threads of the drive sleeve and the teeth of a toothed rack, whereby the toothed rack is fixed to the housing.  
   
   
       5 . An assembly for use in a drug delivery device comprising the drive mechanism of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       6 . A drug delivery device comprising the drive mechanism of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       7 . The drug delivery device according to  claim 6 , wherein the delivery device is a pen-type device.  
   
   
       8 . The drug delivery device according to  claim 6  wherein the delivery device is an injector-type device.  
   
   
       9 . The drug delivery device according to  claim 6 , wherein the delivery device further comprises a needle.  
   
   
       10 . The drug delivery device according to  claim 6 , which wherein the delivery device is a needle-free device.  
   
   
       11 . (Canceled)  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein dispensing a medicinal product includes dispensing a pharmaceutical formulation comprising an active compound selected from the group consisting of insulin, growth hormone, low molecular weight heparin, analogues thereof, and derivatives thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The method of manufacturing or assembling a drug delivery device, comprising the step of providing the drive mechanism of claims  1 .  
   
   
       14 . A drug delivery device comprising the assembly of  claim 5 .  
   
   
       15 . The drug delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the device is a pen-type device.  
   
   
       16 . The drug delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the device is an injector-type device.  
   
   
       17 . The drug delivery device of  claim 14 , further comprising a needle.  
   
   
       18 . The drug delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the device is a needle-free device.  
   
   
       19 . A method of delivering a drug, comprising: 
 providing the device of  claim 14 ,    dispensing a medicinal product with the device.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein dispensing a medicinal product includes dispensing a pharmaceutical formulation from the device, wherein the pharmaceutical formulation comprises an active compound selected from the group consisting of insulin, growth hormone, low molecular weight heparin, analogues thereof, and derivatives thereof.  
   
   
       21 . A method of manufacturing or assembling a drug delivery device, comprising providing the assembly of  claim 5 .  
   
   
       22 . A method of delivering a drug, comprising: 
 providing the device of  claim 6 ,    dispensing a medicinal product with the device.